


Omit No Detail

by AppleSeeds



Category: Good Omens (TV)
Genre: Aziraphale Loves Crowley (Good Omens), Crowley Loves Aziraphale (Good Omens), Feelings Realization, Happy Ending, Heaven, Love Confessions, M/M, Post-Scene: St James's Park 1862 (Good Omens), Scene: Crowley's Trial in Hell (Good Omens), Scene: St James's Park 1862 (Good Omens), Worried Aziraphale (Good Omens)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-23
Updated: 2020-12-23
Packaged: 2021-03-10 20:00:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,628
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28262772
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AppleSeeds/pseuds/AppleSeeds
Summary: In 1862, a couple of months after his encounter with Crowley in St James's Park, Aziraphale is summoned to Heaven to be tested after several angels have fallen prey to demonic influence, programming them to commit evil deeds and then altering their memories. When Aziraphale has his memories scanned for evidence of tampering, he will need to make sure he is completely honest with himself about what happened with Crowley, or he'll be putting both of their lives at risk.
Relationships: Aziraphale/Crowley (Good Omens)
Comments: 9
Kudos: 101





	Omit No Detail

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was inspired by an episode of Stargate SG-1 called "Divide and Conquer", so if you've seen that you'll know exactly what's going to happen. You probably know anyway. ;-) Hope you enjoy it!
> 
> Massive thank you to fellow SG-1 fan WizzyGold for her help with this one! :-)

**1862**

“Ah, Aziraphale, thank you for joining us so promptly.”

“Gabriel, Michael, Uriel, Sandalphon,” he greeted each archangel with a polite nod, aiming for an equally polite smile too, but his expression was distorted by the building unease gnawing away inside him at having been summoned to Heaven. “Your note suggested that this was important?”

“I’m afraid so,” Gabriel continued. “We have become aware that several angels have been compromised by demonic influence.”

Aziraphale clenched his hands together more tightly in front of him, his thumb rubbing across his knuckles in a feeble attempt at self-comfort. He had seen Crowley little more than two months ago, their disagreement still burning a hole in his heart, leaving behind a gaping void that only seemed to expand every time Aziraphale allowed himself to wonder how long it would be until they spoke again. Would they _ever_ speak again, or, with his refusal of Crowley’s request, had Aziraphale unintentionally rescinded their arrangement? The thought of it had left him feeling hollow, empty and aching, but those feelings were now joined by something else, a prickle at the back of his neck, a quickening of his heart as he studied Gabriel’s expression. What did they know? What had they told Hell? Was Crowley safe?

“I see... and...” Aziraphale swallowed and cleared his throat, “you need me to do something?”

“We need to ensure that you haven’t been affected.”

“Right. Well, I can assure you... I... erm... what sort of _influence_ are we talking about?”

“Apparently demons have devised the means to program the minds of angels to commit evil deeds on their behalf, giving them access to situations they would never have been able to infiltrate and to people they would not have been able to target otherwise.”

“Oh, well, I can assure you that no such thing has happened to _me_ , Gabriel.”

“I’m afraid we cannot accept your assurance of that, Aziraphale.” Gabriel’s expression tightened and he regarded Aziraphale the way one would look at a foolish, ignorant child.

“In the cases of which we are aware, after programming the angels’ minds, the demons altered their memories, so they wouldn’t have any idea this had happened,” Michael weighed in. “They behaved normally until they came into contact with whomever the demons had programmed them to influence or harm. After they had committed the deed in question, the angel would then... eradicate themselves.”

“What do you mean... ‘eradicate themselves’?” Aziraphale’s voice wavered and he swallowed, his knuckles now white from how tightly he was clenching his hands together. That prickle at his nape had spread, sending a shiver shooting down his spine, and a sinking sensation began to coalesce in the pit of his stomach.

“They were apparently given instructions to proceed to a specific location, and upon entry, they were immediately consumed by hellfire,” Michael elaborated.

“Oh... that’s...” Aziraphale tried, searching for a word that could appropriately convey everything he was feeling, but inevitably coming up short. “How many angels have we lost?”

“Three, but there will be no others,” Uriel stated firmly. “We have devised a means to test whether an angel’s memories have been altered. That’s why you’re here. Come with me.”

Uriel had already turned and begun walking away before Aziraphale had time to process what she had said. “Oh, yes, of course, right.”

With another polite nod and shaky smile directed at the other archangels, Aziraphale hurried after Uriel, following her into a small room he had never entered before. It was as white and featureless as the rest of Heaven, containing nothing but an uncomfortable-looking chair and a small table with a box on top of it.

“Sit down.”

Aziraphale readily complied, sitting in the chair, which was even more uncomfortable than its appearance had suggested, and twisted to the side to watch as Uriel opened the box and retrieved a crystal, which she, without warning, pressed firmly to Aziraphale’s temple. The crystal flattened and latched onto his skin, and Aziraphale winced at the sensation, although it wasn’t painful, and instinctively rubbed at it with his fingertips.

“This crystal will be able to read your thoughts. You will be prompted with questions, you must answer them all fully and honestly. If your memories have been altered, the crystal will be able to discern that the information you are recalling is false or incomplete, revealing an implanted memory.”

“I see... and what would happen then?”

“If the crystal detects any evidence of tampering with your memory, it will automatically be reported to Gabriel.”

“Yes, I assumed, but then...”

“We have a procedure to expose and remove the altered memories. It is very unpleasant, you should hope it doesn’t come to that.”

“Right,” Aziraphale murmured, dipping his head and folding his hands neatly in his lap.

“And if we are able to elucidate which demon is responsible for any tampering, then we will, of course, ensure that they are destroyed.”

“Will information about my memories be reported to Gabriel as well?” Aziraphale asked, hoping his voice didn’t betray any of his apprehension, as a whole series of memories surfaced in his mind that he had concealed, out of necessity, each of them involving Crowley. Aziraphale experienced another sharp pang in his heart.

“No, Aziraphale, only the results of this test will be shared, but perhaps the reasons for your concern about such a thing would be worth reflecting on once this is over,” she sneered, voice full of judgement. None of the archangels had ever shown any particular fondness for Aziraphale, and Uriel always left him feeling as though he fell well below her expectations.

Aziraphale chuckled nervously, his cheeks burning. “Well, no, I didn’t mean... That is to say...”

“I will be back once the interrogation is complete. Remember that you must tell the whole truth. If you lie, or omit an important detail, the machine will interpret this as a false memory.”

“Right. Of course. I mean, of course I would tell the truth. I have no reason not to.”

With no further comment, but a slight raise of her eyebrow, Uriel exited the room, closing the door behind her. Aziraphale became aware of a blue light out of the corner of his eye. Evidently the crystal had started glowing.

_Aziraphale_ , the voice of the crystal materialised in his mind.

“Oh, hello,” he thought, foolishly.

_You must answer all questions fully and truthfully. You must show your memories freely._

“Oh, yes, of course. Jolly good.”

_Have you ever had contact with a demon?_

“Well, yes, of course, in my role on Earth. It is part of my job to thwart their evil wiles.”

_When was the last time you had contact with a demon?_

“Oh...” Aziraphale hesitated, that wound to his heart reopening as though someone had pierced it with a knife. After centuries of doing so, Aziraphale’s first instinct was to hold back, but Uriel had said they wouldn’t be aware of what he communicated to the crystal, only the outcome, and besides, lying wasn’t exactly an option. Not that Aziraphale would _lie_ , heaven forbid! Quite literally, in this case. Still, his stomach lurched as he allowed himself to think the words, “Ten weeks ago.”

_Explain the circumstances surrounding this contact._

“Well, I wouldn’t characterise it as _contact_ ,” Aziraphale began, clearing his throat even though his words were delivered only in his mind. “The demon Crowley had asked to see me. He said he needed a favour.”

_What was the outcome of this encounter?_

“He asked me for...” Aziraphale squeezed his eyes tightly shut, the memories flooding his mind. They felt more real now, as though they were actually happening right at this very moment, presumably a side-effect of the crystal currently latched onto his temple. “He asked me for holy water. I refused.”

_Explain. Why would a demon ask an angel for a favour?_

“We have an arrangement,” Aziraphale confessed, praying that Uriel had been telling the truth and that none of this would get back to Gabriel. But of course she _must_ have been telling the truth, because angels don’t lie. _Arch_ angels don’t lie.

More images flooded Aziraphale’s mind, including the instigation of the Arrangement with Crowley in the eleventh century, their meetings since, and details of the temptations that Aziraphale had covered for Crowley. His heart thudded against his sternum as his most closely-guarded secrets were revealed. “We’ve both been on Earth since the beginning. It makes sense that we have developed something of a mutual understanding. One might even say a friendship. Well, previously, that is... I suspect it is no longer the case... What I mean to say is that it is understandable that he would ask me for something that he wanted, which he knew I would be able to obtain much more easily than he could.”

_Then why did you refuse the demon’s request?_

“He asked for holy water! It could destroy him!”

_You do not wish for this demon to be destroyed?_

“Of course not! As angels, we must thwart a demon’s evil deeds wherever possible, of course, but it is not our place to see to their destruction!”

_Did the demon request the holy water in order to destroy itself?_

“No, he said that wasn’t his reason for wanting it, but I couldn’t take the risk. With something so dangerous in his possession, anything could happen! What if someone else were to use it against him?”

_You have stated that angels must thwart demons wherever possible. This contradicts with your statement that you have an arrangement to help this demon._

“Ah, well, no, that’s not a contradiction!” Aziraphale thought urgently. “It is a well-balanced arrangement; I assure you that he does as much for me as I do for him. It’s more a matter of convenience than anything else. He has performed a great many miracles on my behalf.”

_Why were you seeking to protect the demon from harm?_

“Well, as I’ve said, we’ve been on Earth together since the beginning and we’ve got to know each other rather well. He isn’t like other demons; I do genuinely believe that deep down he is actually very nice. I considered him a friend. I _still_ consider him a friend,” Aziraphale amended. “I want him to be safe.”

_What happened after you refused the demon’s request?_

The whole encounter was replaying in Aziraphale’s mind, with the crystal presumably logging each moment. Every detail was heightened, everything from the gentle rustle of the leaves in the trees and the clacking of horses’ hooves against the pavement, the chattering voices of the humans in the park and the quacking of the ducks Aziraphale had been feeding, and, of course, Crowley... The way his face had contorted with displeasure at Aziraphale’s suggestion that they had been ‘fraternising’, the hurt in his eyes visible even through his dark glasses, and... ‘I don’t need you.’

The doubts came rushing back to Aziraphale once again. Had he done the right thing? Crowley was tenacious, what if he simply attempted to acquire holy water another way? Might he even attempt something dangerous, putting himself at even greater risk?

“We exchanged a few words. He wasn’t happy, of course. I threw the piece of paper he had handed me into the water and walked away.”

_Did this demon have the opportunity to influence your mind?_

“No, of course not! Besides, he would never do such a thing!”

_Has this demon **ever** influenced your mind?_

“No. Absolutely not. If he wanted to influence me do you not think he would have done so to ensure that I complied with his request?”

The blue light Aziraphale could see out of the corner of his eye shifted and began pulsing red.

_Explain again exactly why you refused the demon’s request._

Aziraphale crossed his arms protectively against his body, his stomach churning and his heart pounding a fierce rhythm in his chest. “If I may ask a question... why is the crystal glowing red now?” he asked, although he already knew what the answer would be.

_This indicates that you have false memories._

“No, please, I assure you! I do not have false memories!”

_Explain again exactly why you refused the demon’s request_ , it repeated. This couldn’t be happening. He didn’t have false memories! He couldn’t have had his mind altered by a demon! Aziraphale’s ability to think clearly was clouded by his rising panic, Uriel’s words repeating themselves in his mind: ‘if we are able to elucidate which demon is responsible for any tampering, then we will, of course, ensure that they are destroyed.’

“I can’t let them hurt Crowley! He hasn’t done anything wrong! Please!”

Aziraphale replayed the memory of their encounter in St James’s Park one more time in his mind, wincing again as though physically struck, not by Crowley’s words, but his own. He shared every detail, holding nothing back, but still the crystal glowed red. It was impossible. A demon couldn’t possibly have tampered with his mind, could they? Even if they had, the demon responsible wasn’t _Crowley_... but Gabriel would certainly believe that it was. Aziraphale’s eyes pricked with tears.

“As I’ve already stated, I couldn’t have him risking his life!”

_Why?_

“I’ve told you, I consider him a friend.”

_Have you omitted any detail?_

“I... I don’t know...” Aziraphale flustered, desperately trying to think of something he had left out as the crystal continued to pulse red in time with his increasingly rapid heartbeats. “I couldn’t bear to think of a world without Crowley. I can’t lose him, I just can’t!”

_Yet you have implied that you believe that by refusing his request, you might have caused him to terminate your friendship, therefore you will not see him, and will have lost him anyway. This is contradictory information._

“But he will be safe! If he doesn’t want to see me again then so be it, I would rather that than put him in danger.”

_You have nothing to gain from this. You have stated that you entered into an arrangement with this demon for mutual benefit. This is contradictory information._

“Please stop saying that!”

_If there is any further detail you wish to add to explain your behaviour, you must do so now._

“Please! Wait! I...” Words formed in Aziraphale’s mind then, words that had always been there, lingering just beneath the surface, but that he had never admitted even to himself, but with the heightened memories swirling through his mind, now seemed impossible to deny. Aziraphale took a deep breath, tears falling freely down his cheeks, and let the words materialise in his mind. “I _love_ him.”

The crystal continued to glow red, and Aziraphale hunched forward in the chair and sobbed. This couldn’t be happening. They were going to destroy Crowley and it would be Aziraphale’s fault, his worst fears were coming to pass and what was left of his heart felt as though it had shattered like a mirror, its sharp edges slicing through him as they fell. “Please! I’m telling you the truth! I love him! I love him _so much_ , unlike I have ever loved another being... I’m _in love_ with him, I’ve fallen in love with him!” Aziraphale cried in his mind, pressing the heels of his hands to his eyes. When he finally straightened up and opened his eyes, the crystal was glowing blue.

Aziraphale gasped and hurriedly wiped his eyes, and the light from the crystal faded completely.

**2019**

Why did it keep coming back to this? Aziraphale watched, his hands... _Crowley’s_ hands clasped together in front of him and his wrists tied together with rope, as Michael poured holy water into the bath tub. This could very easily have been Crowley’s fate, and the thought made Aziraphale’s heart ache. But it _wasn’t_ Crowley’s fate, he reminded himself. It wasn’t _,_ because Crowley trusted Aziraphale to take his place and to keep him safe. Aziraphale couldn’t help but think about all the times _he_ should have trusted _Crowley_. He should have trusted him with the holy water in the first place, which had ended up saving him from the demons pursuing him. He should have trusted him about how Heaven would respond to Aziraphale’s attempts to prevent Armageddon. He should have trusted him to always do right by him and to protect him. So much of what Aziraphale had done had been driven by fear and misplaced faith, but he just needed to get through this, and there would be no need to be afraid for Crowley’s safety any more. And as for faith, well, it was just a matter of placing it where it belonged all along, in Crowley.

As Aziraphale removed some of Crowley’s clothes, carefully folding them and placing them neatly on the chair beside the bathtub, preparing to step into the holy water, he thought of his experience in Heaven in 1862, and how he had been forced to relive that moment when he had refused Crowley’s request again and again. He had been asked whether Crowley had ever influenced his mind. How could he have been so foolish as to say no? Crowley had influenced Aziraphale’s heart and mind in more ways than he could even describe. He was a part of him, he always had been. Aziraphale didn’t even know who he would be without Crowley, and that crystal had drawn the truth from him. It had left him with no ability to doubt that his feelings were exactly as he’d said: he truly was in love with Crowley, and perhaps, once this was over, it would finally be time to speak those words out loud.

When they left the Ritz, Crowley drove Aziraphale back to the bookshop, pulling up in his usual, always miraculously vacant, parking space outside. They sat in silence for a moment, Aziraphale not ready for their time together to come to an end and debating whether or not to invite Crowley inside. In all honesty, now that nothing stood between them, he wanted to spend as much time as he possibly could with Crowley. He wondered whether Crowley would want the same.

“Would you...” Aziraphale began, and Crowley quickly turned his head towards him, eyebrows climbing up his forehead. “Would you like to come in?”

Crowley didn’t answer verbally, but climbed out of the car and closed the door behind him. Aziraphale hurried to follow, hands trembling slightly as he let them into the bookshop. He had never felt this unsettled in Crowley’s presence, and as he stepped inside, he began rearranging books on a table near the door, trying to dispel some of his nervous energy.

“You all right?”

“Perfectly.”

“They won’t come after us, you know. We’re fine.”

“Oh, yes, I’m sure, it’s not that. I mean, it’s not anything,” Aziraphale rambled, huffing out a breath as Crowley looked at him expectantly. “I suppose I’m just wondering where this leaves you and me. There really is no need for our arrangement anymore.”

“Which means we can do whatever we want. So what do you want to do?”

“I still want to see you,” Aziraphale replied hurriedly, eliciting a smirk from Crowley.

“We can do that. Anything else?”

“I want...” Aziraphale began, thinking again of that crystal, and how admitting the truth had saved them both back then. The truth had never been any _less_ true simply because Aziraphale had kept it hidden. In reality, he knew that it probably wasn’t hidden from Crowley at all, Aziraphale was well aware that he wore his heart on his sleeve, and Crowley knew him better than anyone. Aziraphale had once, on another fateful day involving holy water, told Crowley that he went too fast for him. If Aziraphale wanted anything to change in their relationship, it didn’t matter whether Crowley knew how he felt or not, he was going to have to say something. Crowley looked at him imploringly. “I want to spend a great deal of time with you, actually, if you would be amenable.”

“Of course, I hope you’ll always be around trying to thwart my demonic schemes, they won’t be any fun otherwise.”

Out of habit, Aziraphale glared at Crowley reproachfully, then softened and took a deep breath. “Well, I suppose I ought to do that, yes... but I also want to see you socially. You’re my best friend, Crowley.”

“Yeah, you too,” Crowley mumbled, his voice low, and Aziraphale urged himself to tell the truth, omitting no detail.

“And I love you,” Aziraphale added, before remembering how important it was to be specific about how he was feeling. “I mean, I’m in love with you, Crowley.”

Crowley blinked and leaned back slightly as if startled, his eyes drifting over Aziraphale’s face like he was searching for something. Aziraphale’s heart started beating even harder, and that time while he waited for Crowley to respond seemed to stretch on for eternity. He gripped the side of one of the thick books on the table for support.

After what was, in reality, only a few seconds, Crowley stepped closer, raising his hand and gently squeezing Aziraphale’s shoulder, running his thumb over it affectionately. Aziraphale tilted his head to watch, entranced by the movement of Crowley’s hand as he squeezed tighter, his skin tingling, sending ripples out from the point of contact. “Me too. I mean, I’m obviously in love with you too.”

Aziraphale looked up then to meet his eyes, and Crowley smiled, retracting his hand but touching it briefly to the small of Aziraphale’s back before passing him and sauntering in the direction of the bookshop’s backroom.

“Come on, time to get on with our eternity of freedom,” Crowley called after him, and Aziraphale spun around to follow him, his face breaking out into a beaming smile.

“Yes, I rather think it is.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed it! <3


End file.
